French Bourbon Restoration Porcelain Portrait Plaque Of Madame élisabeth, C.1825

A rare French hard-paste porcelain oval portrait plaque dating from the Bourbon Restoration period, circa 1825. Painted to an exceptional standard, this refined miniature is the work of an accomplished French porcelain artist.

The portrait depicts Princess Élisabeth Philippe Marie Hélène of France (1764–1794), better known as Madame Élisabeth, the youngest sister of King Louis XVI. She was guillotined during the Reign of Terror in 1794. She is regarded by the Catholic Church as a martyr and was declared a Servant of God by Pope Pius XII.

The composition follows the celebrated portrait by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, later drawn by Pierre Louis Henri Grévedon in 1823, lithographed by François-Séraphin Delpech and finally interpreted on porcelain by an unknown French master painter. The beautifully modelled features, elegant coiffure and harmonious palette display miniature painting of remarkable refinement.

Executed entirely by hand, the portrait was painted with finely ground metallic oxide enamels applied in successive translucent layers using extremely fine brushes beneath a magnifying glass. Four or five separate firings in a muffle kiln were required to complete the work, making successful examples exceptionally rare. The outstanding preservation of the enamels after more than two centuries is a testament to the artist's remarkable skill.

The reverse is flat and unglazed, retaining its original paper inventory label with the handwritten inscription "Mme Elisabeth" and inventory number "N 15". The porcelain blank was produced in Limoges, France, then the principal supplier of fine hard-paste porcelain blanks. Created as an individual commission for mounting in an ormolu frame, it also preserves traces of its original historic mounting.

We wish to emphasise that numerous copies and later reproductions of portraits of Madame Élisabeth exist on today's market. The present plaque, however, stands in an entirely different category, distinguished by the extraordinary refinement of its miniature painting and representing an exceptionally rare standard of artistic achievement.

Dimensions:

• Height 8.5 cm (3.35 in)

• Width 6.8 cm (2.68 in)

Condition:

Excellent antique condition. The porcelain and painted enamel decoration are free from chips, cracks, restoration or retouching. Examined under UV light, with no restoration detected.

Please study the accompanying photographs carefully as they form an integral part of this description. If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them. The item will be shipped with full tracking and insurance. It is important to note that shipping costs include labour, packaging and postage.